West Ham 0 Wolves 2 - Report and pictures

Brought on for the last half an hour, they provided exactly the spark Nuno Espirito Santo was looking for - Traore's perfect cross allowing Raul Jimenez to head home before Neto found the net with a thunderous volley.

In an otherwise close-run clash at the empty London Stadium, the duo, undoubtedly, made all the difference as Wolves grabbed three important points in the push for more European football.

They are sitting pretty in sixth - level on points with fifth-placed Manchester United.

Analysis

Well, what a pleasure it is to have Wolves back working their magic.

After 100 gruelling days without seeing them in action, they returned in fantastic fashion - just as we hoped they would.

As far as impact substitutes go, they will not come any better than Traore and Neto - the former with an assist, the latter with a belter to round things off.

Results had gone Wolves' way in the few days prior, and they very much took advantage.

As soon as Traore and Neto were introduced, the dynamic changed. A tiring West Ham started to panic - Wolves punished weary legs.

It was meat and drink for Jimenez to head in Traore's pinpoint cross and Neto, such a promising young player, showed exactly why the gold and black faithful are so excited about him. What a finish it was from the winger.

Nuno wanted to make those cheering on from their living rooms proud. It is safe to say they achieved just that. A top win.

Report

The big decision for Nuno was whether to go with Leander Dendoncker in a 3-5-2 or Traore in a 3-4-3 - and he went for the former.

Traore made up a nine-man bench, which also included fellow speedy attackers Neto and Daniel Podence.

Jonny Castro Otto came in at left-wing back after shaking off a knock during the lengthy break in action - him coming in for Ruben Vinagre being the only change from Wolves' previous league game, the 0-0 draw with Brighton all the way back on March 7.

West Ham, meanwhile, tasked Mark Noble, Pablo Fornals and Tomas Soucek with nullifying Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Dendoncker in the middle of the park.

But Nuno's men began the clash with obvious hunger - Neves and Moutinho latching onto loose balls and then passing it around both confidently and quickly.

The main benefit of the season's suspension was that it allowed Wolves to rest and recharge after such a hectic schedule, and they certainly looked the sharper of the two sides in the early going.

A scary moment came when Fornals got in behind - surging onto Noble's over-the-top through-ball - and blazed over the bar when he really should have hit the target.

Soucek also had a long-range strike deflect off Conor Coady and fly off target. But Wolves would have been pleased with how they fared before the drinks break - another new thing to come in post-lockdown.

Just after it, the visitors fashioned their first proper attempt as Diogo Jota worked himself a yard and, from a tight angle, saw his low shot saved by Lukas Fabianski.

He soon, from a similar position, teed up strike partner Jimenez, whose attempt was blocked, too.

A Romain Saiss shin-roller also arrived before the interval while Jota was perhaps guilty of holding onto the ball too long when he could have released Dendoncker on the counter. On the whole, a solid half from Wolves, with Neves energetic in midfield.

With the new five-substitute rule available to Nuno, though, it was just a matter of time until changes were made.

Traore, Neto and Podence all warmed up as the second period got going - while Rui Patricio kept out Jeremy Ngakia's tame shot.

Wolves almost carved out a glorious opportunity on the break-away, but Jimenez ended up overcooking a low cross intended for Jota.

And approaching the hour mark, it all became a bit slow. Noticing the need for fresh blood, Nuno decided to make a double-switch.

Neto and Traore entered the fray in place of Jota and Dendoncker, and so came 3-4-3.

An injection of sheer speed, of course, but would it have the desired effect?

Well, the answer to that question is an emphatic yes.

Traore, in typical style, raced to the byline and found Jimenez at the far post, leaving the Mexican with the simple task of nodding in for his 23rd goal of the season in all competitions.

And adding the icing to the cake, Traore surged forward and released Matt Doherty, whose cross was amazingly finished off by Neto - leaving Fabianski with no chance. What a way to resume.

Teams

West Ham (4-3-3): Fabianski; Ngakia (Fredericks, 81), Diop, Rice, Cresswell; Soucek, Noble (c), Fornals (Yarmolenko, 81); Anderson (Lanzini, 67), Bowen, Antonio

Subs: Randolph (gk), Johnson, Balbuena, Wilshere, Silva, Ajeti

Goals:

Wolves (3-5-2): Patricio; Boly, Coady, Saiss; Doherty, Neves, Dendoncker (Neto, 64), Moutinho, Otto (Vinagre, 89); Jimenez (Gibbs-White, 90), Jota (Traore, 64)

Subs not used: Ruddy (gk), Kilman, Buur, Jordao, Podence

Goals: Jimenez (73), Neto (85)

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Manchester)